Paddle wheel



Sept. 26, 1944. c. R. MELTON PADDLE WHEEL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 20, 1942 m m NH N E R M w LT T I Char-1E5 R MEI p 4- R. MELTON 2,358,937

PADDLE WHEEL Filed July 20, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 O 7 $2 INVENTOR.

6 Char LE5 MelTun ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 26, 1944 2,358,937: PADDLE WHEEL Charles R. Melton, Huntington, W. Va. Application July 20, 1942, Serial No. 451,609 '5 Claims, 01. 170-141) 7 I I This invention relates to marine propulsion and -more specificallyto paddle; wheels. 7

An important object oi the invention is to pro vide a paddle wheel which will rapidly shed or spill most .ofthewater as the paddles or blades emerge from a, body of water, resulting in a sav- .ing of horsepower, which is ordinarily lost by the lift of the water.

Another important object is to eliminate substantially all of. the usual jerks and vibrations,

encountered when paddle wheel blades enter and emerge from. body of water.

Still another important object is to provide strong, sturdy paddle wheels, having detachable blade assemblies, with the blades well braced to prevent their movement from the perpendicular with respect to the. periphery of a cylindrical,

rotating support. I

Another object is to provide a blade unit for a paddle wheel drum, whereinthere is no necessity of perforating the drum with bolt-accommodating openings, which might lead to leakage into the drum.

' Yet'another object is to provide a novel bracing means for the blades of paddle wheels.

The power this novel paddle wheel displays in reverse, affording easy steering for towboats, is another object of the invention, since towboats go into reverse in steering around sharp bends in rivers. 7

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and in which draw- Figure 1 is paddlewheel' illustrating one means for securing the blade assembly to a drum and showing one bracing means for the blades. 1

Figure 2 .is'a side elevation of the same.

" Figure 3 is a top plan of a blade and associated structure of the blade assembly illustratingione means for securing the several portions of the blade assembly together.

Figure is a front elevationof the showing in Fig. 3. Figure 5 is a transversefragmentary section through a blade, intermediate the central portion and one end of the blade. v

Figure 6 is a similar view adjacent one end of the blade, illustrating a modified means for attaching the several portions of the blade assembly together. a

Figure -7 is an end elevation of a portion of an end elevation of the novel tion fuaamaoh is mea s of f Y e, as a Whole; and K, the blade bracingmeans of the novel paddle wheellillu'strating a modified bracing means for the blades.

Figure 8 is 'a view similar to Figj'l but shows another modification ofthe paddle blade bracing means:

I Figure 9'13 a fragmentary top man or amade and associated. structure 'of the blade assembly showing a portion of the modified bracing means of Fig. 8. "1 J Figure 10 "isa perspective view of another porof the bracing means or Fig. 8;: o 1 Figure 11 is a longitudinal section of the ingmeans ofFig. 8. M

Inthe drawings, wherein for the purpose of a shown preferred and modified f orrns of the inve brac- J I tion and 'wher'ein'similar reference characters denote likparts in the several views the letter A maydesignate the paddle lwheelof Figs. land 2, 'as a whole; 13', the rotatingsupport for the blade assemblies of all the views; C, the blade assembly of'Figs. 1 and 2; D, the blade attaching means of" Figs. 3 and 9 the blade attaching; means of Fig. 6; F,'the

bracing means of Figs. 1 and 2 G, the paddle wheel of Fig.7 as a whole; l-Lthe blade bracing '7; J, the paddle wheel ofFig. 8

F s-Bio z .Th ot nss t B m y om ri e. a y ndricalbody portion l i having end walls l6, providinga drum lfl which is preferably water tight andprovidedfwithjasuitableshaft or pinion l8. A suitable manhole maybe provided in one or bothend walls l5, eachmanhole having a cover 19. It will be noted that the cylinder is not perforated and does not include means for'attaching the bladeas'sernbly thereto, for such means is carried wholly by the several blade assemblies illustrated. z

Asfor the blade 'assembly'or unit C, this includes a plurality (preferablythree) of spaced apart, metallic straps or bands 20 and 2|, formed into hoops to conform to the curvature 'or' periphery 'of the cylindrical body portion [5. Preferably, the innermost or centrally disposed strap 2! is wider than the two'outer'most straps 20, for a purpose later described. 'As 'maybe seen, at 22, the ends 23 of the straps do not quite meet; 'Suitablysecured to the outer faces of "the strapsZll and'ZI at these ends 23 is a, suitable means to draw .and maintain the'straps 2 0 and 2 I'in tight contact withthe periphery or "outer face of the lcylindrical body portion I5. This means may be angle iron bracketsz l, having aligning perforations to accommodate shanksof bolts 25 pro vided with suitable nuts 26. These brackets 24 may be welded to the straps and 2|, or suitably secured in any approved manner.

The blade assembly C also include a plurality of spaced apart blades or paddles 21. Each of the blades 21, in horizontal longitudinal section forms an obtuse angle and bridges the straps 20 and 2 I, so that each blade may be said to form a half blade 28, although each blade is preferably continuous. Forming; substantially right angles with each half blade 28 are brackets 29 disposed upon the outer face of the straps 20 and 2| and may be secured thereto, as by the blade attach ing means D, comprising welding, shown at 30 in Fig. 3 and in others of the figures.

Since there" slots or openings, similar to the slots or openings 49 in the blades 21. Manipulation of the turnbuckle 53 will have the same effect as described in connection with the means F.

As another modification of the bracing means for the blades, the paddle wheel J of Fig. 8 is provided with the bracing means K of Figs. 8 to 11. Otherwise, the assembly is substantially similar to that of th paddle wheels A and G, .but there is amodi-fication of the slots or openings as heretofore described. The-slots or openings 55 in the blades 21 of paddle wheel assembly J, may be disposed similarly to those of the opening 49, but

are two brackets 29, associated with each blade 21,-

disposed upon the central strap 2|, this strap is wider. In order to further strengthen the blade assembly, the brackets 29 may comprise a continuation of the material of the blades 21, with I said material continuing as at 3| from each outermost bracket 29 to; the nearest of the central brackets29, as is clearly shown m Figs. 3 and 4. This continuing portion 3 I, extending j from bracket to bracket, together with downturned flanges 32 from the portions 3| constitutes a bar- 33, to prevent water and weeds from sweepmg llhdl the blades 21, and interfering with the regular rotation of the paddle wheel. Theddwnturned flanges 32 extend to the periphery'or outer face of the cylindrical body portion l5 and from strap 20 to strap 2|; g

In addition to the blade attaching means D of Fig; 3, heretofore described, the blades may be secured by the mean E; of Fig. 6,- where each bracket 29 be provided with a perforation 35 'each strap 20 provided with a row, and each strap 2l with a double 'ro'w'oi perforations 36 alignin with the perforations "35:; The perforations 36 may be beveled as at 31 where they extend to the inner faces 6f the straps 28 and 2 I; so that bolts 38;having counter' 'suhk heads may be employed, :with their shanks 39 extending through perforations 35 and 36 and outwardly of the outer faces of the brackets 29; and accommodate suitable washers and nuts 41-.- Of course, both the means D and E inay lie-employed if desired, on the sam paddle wheel blade assembly. Now, as for the novel bracing "ans F; this is illustrated as a or rod 45 of I substantially a time provided with screw threads '46 at its free ends '41 ahdacc'ommodating a turn- "arena 48. Shawna Fig. 2; two such rods 45 maybe provided and-the rods extend through suitable slots or bp'en'in s 4a in the blades 21.

Preferably, order 'to afford the most bracing effeet, the openings stare adjacent the outer side edges 0f the blades 27'. When the turnbuckle 48 itable material, formed into i employed to contract the circumference of the rod 45, the rod will bear against the walls/of the openings 49 nearest the axis of rotations of the paddle wheel. m I p The paddle wheel "G or Fig. 7 is substantially the same as that (if the paddle wheelA of Fig. l (with either orboth of the means D or E employed) the difference being in the blade bracing "means. U t i Blade bracing H -or addle wheel G, may jalsocomprise a baror rod 50 of suitable material p'rovi'd'edwith screw threads 5| at its free ends 52 and accommodating a turnbuckle 53. However the rod 551s formed, not into a circle, but into a plurality of substantially straight sections 54 extending from blade to blade. Twosuch rods 50 may be employed, and the rod -extend through each of the openings 55 is provided with a tongue 56' extending outwardly from a wall of the opening 55. This tongue 46 may be an outturned portion of the material removed to provide the opening 55, and has a suitabl perforation 51 for a purpose to be described. A bar or strap 58 takes the place of the rod or bar 45, is formed into substantially a circle,- and provided with a plurality of spaced apart perforations 59 aligning with the perforations 51 and suitable bolts with their shanks 60 extending through aligning perforations 51 and 59 are secured by washers GI and nuts 62.

This assembly of blades and bracing means F, H or K, is such that no brace is ordinarily required intermediate the ends of the paddle wheel, with the elimination of an intermediate brace being a decided advantage. The novel bracing tends to draw the blades toward the axis of rotation of the paddle wheel, yet retains the outer ends of the blades properly spaced apart.

Closing the spaces between the straps 20 and 2| and the periphery of the cylindrical body portion 15, prevents strings of weeds from lodging therein and trailing with rotation of the paddle wheels, and the barrier 33, acts as an additional brace for the blades 21 and associated brackets 29 .The blade assemblies or units maybe secured to any suitable cylindrical body portion without the need of bolting them thereto or permanently welding them, thereto, they may be easily removed, as is obvious, ,inorder to make repairs or replacements and since there need be no bolt holes drilled into a drum paddle wheel portion, the drum willnotbeso apt to leak. I 7

Various changes may be made to the forms of the invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention or con ft qcl m i ,.Wh i cla m dia 1' m 1. In a blade unit for a paddle whelhav'in'g a rotating drum, straps spaced apart longitudinally of and extending about said drum, one of said straps extending about the i termediate pardon jo'f said drum, blades, each including a paddle 'poi'ti'oh and 'a pair of bracketportiens integral with the paddle portion, ea'ch blade farming an obtuse angle in hor'i Zbiital longitudinal section, with the apex of each angledi-spose'd forwardly, and means securing said brackets to said straps, including the adjacent ends of said brackets dis= posed upon said intermediate strap.

2. In a blade unit for a paddle wheel havin rotating drum portion, means for encircling said drum portion, comprising spaced apart bands, blades mounted ripen the outer faces of said bands, means for clet'achably securing said bands in tight-fitting contact with and upon the periphery ofsaiddrhinpbrtion, and water barrier-s ex= tending from said periphery to said blades-and fromband to band. i i 3. ma blade unit for 'a paddle wheel having a bands, means for detachably securing said bands in tight-fitting contact with and upon the periphery of said drum portion, said blades extending to said periphery and between said band to band.

5. In a blade unit for a paddle wheel having a rotating drum portion, means for encircling said drum portion, comprising spaced apart straps, blades, each including a paddle portion, bracket portions extending from said paddle portion and carried upon said straps and a water barrier porbands from 15 tion extending from said paddle portion and from bracket to bracket and having a flange section extending between said brackets and in contact with said drum, means for securing said brackets to said straps, and means for securing said straps to the periphery of said drum.

CHARLES R. MELTON. 

